Callum Wilson makes Newcastle United fitness claim after missing out on key milestone once again

Southampton led 1-0 at half-time after a goal from Stuart Armstrong but Callum Wilson’s introduction at the break quickly turned the game on its head as the Newcastle No. 9 equalised before having a goal ruled out by VAR. A Theo Walcott own goal made it 2-1 to the home side before Wilson netted his second of the game to help The Magpies secure an eighth win in nine Premier League matches.

Wilson now has 15 goals for the season, his best ever return in the Premier League, though over half of those goals have been scored in April alone. The striker came off the bench to score in the wins over Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur while also netting braces against West Ham United, Everton and now Southampton to make it eight for the month.

With a goal per 90 rate of 0.87, he moved ahead of team-mate Alexander Isak (0.84) to have the second best strike rate in the Premier League this season behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (1.27).

“Things are going well, competition helps, drives and motivates you to not get complacent,” Wilson told BBC Sport. “It’s a season where I’ve been fit for long periods of time, got 15 goals and feel like I should be on more. Previous seasons obviously haven’t been good enough if 15 is my best."

It was Wilson’s ninth brace for Newcastle as he was denied a hat-trick by VAR, the fingertips of Alex McCarthy and the crossbar (twice) in the second half. That first treble in black and white continues to elude him.

“I could still be out there now trying to get it,” he added. “Sometimes you know it’s not coming, it’s one for those days.”

On starting on the bench again, Wilson added: “Everybody wants to be starting, I understand we had a game a few days ago, keep my legs fresh so you can’t really complain.

"Nobody at the start of the season would have had us in this position as late as it is. There’s still a lot of work to do and we’ve got five games to do it in."